THE
$1,000,000 EXHIBIT
SYLVIA S. ANDERSEN
To My Incredible Husband Blair, You have supported and encouraged me unconditionally in my many entrepreneurial pursuits for over 50 exciting years.
Thank you for your love, for the fact that you truly believe in me, and for our beautiful family.
Introduction
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
Chapter XI
Chapter XII
Chapter XIII
Chapter XIV
Photo Index
Reemerging After Covid Why Live Events Work Best Show for Me Preparation is the Key Design for Success Stop Here!
Pre-Event Marketing What’s Your Message? Standing Out in a Crowd Being Memorable The Follow Up Team Building a Community We’ve Got News Best Lessons Learned
INTRODUCTION
It was February 23, 2020, my 43rd Annual OC Home & Garden Show was just closing. The attendance was slower than normal, everything about the show felt different, almost like there was a pall over the event. The attendees that came were less engaging than usual, I couldn’t figure out the cause, but in a very few days the cause and catastrophic change would become blatantly evident.
March 11, 2020, my 43-year-old company was put out of business along with thousands of other businesses for the next two years. My income was abruptly halted, the leads and subsequent income for hundreds of companies that were my vendors … ended, the companies that serviced my show sites… out of business; and the dominos continued to fall… so many lives and companies affected. Covid 19 hit with a vengeance and would change everything! It was evident that none of us thought it would last as long as it did. I rescheduled my April show to May, then to September, then to April 2021. Gratefully, I had a clause in our contract that never in my wildest dreams did I believe would ever be used…. The “Acts of God” clause!
Life Application
During our lifetime difficulties and roadblocks, tragedies and loss will occur. It is how we respond to these seemingly overwhelming events that determine our ability to
find their efficacy in the midst of tremendous sorrow. If we are devastated and frozen, halted to the point of inaction, we cannot use or even see the potential for growth that lies before us.
We can choose to wallow in self-pity, in sorrow, even fear. OR, we can see these tragedies for what they are, opportunities to draw upon our own metal; strength forged by the fires of grief we have overcome in the past. It is imperative that we pause to recognize the power growing in each of us as we rise above our momentary hurdles. My favorite quote from Theodore Roosevelt exemplifies the strength and courage needed to stay the path:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or when the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again; because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who never know victory or defeat.”
CHAPTER I
REEMERGING AFTER COVID
A Changing Market
March 11, 2020 everything changed in our world; for those of us who have lived through this, life will never be the same again. We kept saying, “when will life get back to normal?” The reality is that it won’t! What was normal for our lives can never return for many reasons, the world has changed in every possible way. Like feathers that blow in the wind and can never be completely gathered up again, so it is with our lives during and post Covid 19 and now with the many sub-variants of Covid 19, this is the “new normal.”
I am not sure that is a bad thing; let’s look at the positive aspects of those two plus years:
• We have slowed down the pace of life long enough to truly re-evaluate and re-prioritize what we value
• We have had to become comfortable with whom we are and hopefully discover the importance of those closest to us and their value in our lives
• We have become critically aware of health and cleanliness in all aspects of our world
• We have discovered a new way to shop, recreate, and live
• We have become more aware of and frankly more empathetic toward those around us due to the daily reports of new cases and deaths as a result of Covid 19 and the variants
• We have re-ignited the appreciation of and longing for human touch and interaction
• We have developed a skill for “reading” someone by looking into their eyes, not seeing or caring about their remaining physical characteristics
• When businesses around the world shut down, our “wants” were quickly upstaged by our “needs” and worldly luxuries rapidly became entirely unimportant
Can we ever return to what was “normal”, do we even want to? I value these positive changes in my life. I look forward to creating a “new normal”, one that encompasses a greater sense of my neighbor, greater love for the beauty of our earth, and an enhanced need to leave my world a better place than I found it.
Refresh and Renew
As we move forward in a world that is slowly re-emerging, awakening, and re-opening to commerce, let’s discuss the change in our market and how live events, specifically Consumer and Trade shows, can and will play a vital role in creating a “new normal”.
Let’s first consider the new shopping habits of consumers and how those apply to “Consumer Shows” such as the local Home & Garden Show or the annual Bridal Gala or even the Sportsman and Travel Shows. For at least the first year of re-opened events, most were required to
adapt to “contactless entry” which required offering online ticketing or free admission. Social distancing equated to spacing vendors further apart and fewer attendees in the event at any given time, all of which added up to lower revenues. Site costs and ad rates were not reduced to compensate for these factors, in fact many costs associated with producing or exhibiting in live events actually rose. How then, could we move forward and modify the way we do things to ensure a realistic ROI for the time and money we invested?
What Live Consumer Event Producers should consider:
• Incentivize Pre-Event Registry online to reduce future advertising costs by offering free or discounted admission with pre-registration.
• Direct more ad dollars to targeted social media marketing instead of shotgun type of electronic media marketing. Hire an expert to do this, it will save money in the long run. Stay in your lane, do what you do best and hire the experts for the rest!
• Conduct surveys to determine what your potential attendees actually want to see at the show. This aids in your sales story to vendors and gives attendees a feeling of inclusion in the show. They will come looking for these items they suggested.
• Determine if a Hybrid form of event is appropriate for your type of Live Event. Including an online addition to one’s Live Event can help those who are “home-bound” or unable to attend. You can offer pre-recorded presentations from specialists without travel costs of bringing them live to the show.
• Create additional revenue streams for your event that will help cover rising costs as well as offer greater areas of interest for attendees. This can be created in the live events as well as Hybrid forms with online stores.
• Create your own “Celebrity Experts” by including your in-house experts in your advertising. They will create a following thus a loyal audience for your live events.
• Offer more intense DIY workshops; some free, some paid, depending on what supplies are needed and whether the attendee takes something home from the class.
• Know the current trends regarding “Cooking Classes”; “Decorating Classes”; “Home Improvement DIY Classes”; Project Workshops; Pet Training Do’s & Don’ts”; etc. Make sure they are valuable and educational to what is trending. What are homeowner’s watching, eating habits, pets inside or outside, more families cooking at home or ordering home delivery, what is new in decorating one’s home; can a DIY class teach this?
• Consider creating a weekly “Class or Workshop” online with a monthly membership fee that offers access to the online events as well as entry to the live events; discounts at participating vendors booths and participating retailers; free samples sent monthly from new companies; and include donations to pertinent charities related to the type of live event you host.
Who is Your Buyer Now?
As a Live Event Producer, has your core audience changed for your type of Live Event? As a Vendor, who is your buyer now? What formerly was a proven home improvement buyer demographic prior to Covid has changed. This has caused producers to take a fresh look at all media buys, all workshops & classes, even potential sponsors must adjust as well. This information applies to the Live Event Vendor as well as the Producer. Where do you direct your efforts now to reach your attendee/buyer? Let’s examine the vast change in just one demographic, Millennials. For example: prior to Covid Millennials were renting homes and saving to buy a home; purchasing used cars; not really interested in material possessions. Since Covid Millennials have been reconsidering their views. For many, the stark reality of a change in what is possible has forced 24-40 year old’s to make new plans, ones that may not include home ownership.
According to Legal & General Group their May 2021 white paper cites that studies have shown:
• 68% of millennials said Covid had some impact on their thinking about where they could live
• 36% of millennial parents and those already saving for a home want to move to smaller cities/towns
• Among U.S. millennials living in suburban areas, 27% completely abandoned their home-owning plans due to Covid
Producers: With this clear change in who a home-buyer is today:
• Does that change the type of companies that would be the most productive vendor in a Home Improvement Show?
• Does that change the type of DIY workshops one offers at a live event?
• How can your Live Home Improvement Event offer items and vendors of interest to a Millennial who will likely not own a home in the near future?
• What prizes would still be an attractive “Enter to Win” prize for both the homeowner and a renter?
Vendors: How has that changed what products and services you bring to an event?
If your event is a Sportsman’s Expo or Outdoor Recreation Event, who is your buyer now since Covid? What about a Bridal Gala, what has Covid changed about weddings? Paypal shared some great insights in their article “6 Ways the Pandemic is Changing Consumer Shopping Habits”.
1. Support for Local Retailers has Increased Takeaway: direct your efforts to have more local vendors and fewer large chains in your vendor pool. Use local “experts” in your workshops and seminars, have prizes be redeemed in local stores.
2. E-Commerce is Thriving Takeaway: meet that need by considering a greater online presence, more online links for live vendors to capture additional sales from the event. Offer special
“Enter to Win” options for online guests only.
3. Shoppers Prefer Touch-Free payments
Takeaway: Change to tickets purchased online primarily with a discount or QR Codes for purchases and even registration options. Have card only ticket purchases onsite.
4. Consumers Value Cost-Conscious Shopping
78% of consumers say they’ve been economically affected by the crisis7 and 39% of U.S. consumers have experienced a decrease in income in the past two years. Takeaway: Show attendees you are sensitive to their economic circumstances; offer discounts, coupons, special opportunities to save on desired purchases.
5. Health and Hygiene are New Priorities
Consumers are prioritizing health, hygiene, and cleanliness – and it shows in what they buy:
• 59% of consumers say they’re shopping more health consciously.
• Consumer-health companies have seen an increase in illness prevention and immunity-enhancing products, such as multivitamins, which have seen a 40% year-over-year increase in sales.
• 48% of consumers intend to maintain new health and wellness habits they’ve adopted during the pandemic.
Takeaway: Consider adding a health and fitness area in your events, reflecting your commitment to health & hygiene by what consumers see in the cleanliness of your event.
6. People are Trying New Brands and Products
Almost 30% have reported picking up new hobbies du-
ring quarantine, 12 prompting them to discover new brands they will continue to shop with in the future. Takeaway: The future of the economy and retail market may be unpredictable, but data indicates these new consumer values are here to stay. So take this opportunity to adjust your strategies and show consumers you’re tuned into the way they want to shop.
How Do You Reach This New Buyer?
Everyone in Live Events is well aware of the changes in how we reach our attendees with our event messages. These changes were exacerbated with Covid and will remain changed long after the effects of the pandemic have subsided.
Having interviewed many Live Event Producers, I discovered their means of marketing to the consumer has many similarities which vary based on budget, but the formula can be applied to most Consumer Shows, and Stage Events.
• 50% of marketing budget toward targeted demographic groups and interest algorithm Social Media platforms
• 15% posters, signs, coupons, direct mail, cross-promotions
• 10% miscellaneous additional media options to fit one’s audience
• 25% on Electronic Media- specifically the Morning News (this is the only TV programing that viewers do not record and thereby scan past the ads)
To quote one Producer, Brock Felt, that does several hundred events annually; “No electronic media he has tried has been effective enough to ‘move the needle’, he
puts greater emphasis on Social Media that is exciting in design.” He and many other live event producers state that the most effective use of media funds is social media.
For annual and semi-annual events consider creating a following community. Offer additional communication outreach opportunities over and above the event itself; Charity Fundraisers, Barbeques, Featured Activities that suit the needs of the community your event(s) serve. Add monthly newsletters, blogs, scheduled virtual events that educate and entertain. These techniques can also be applied by Vendors. Go beyond what worked pre-Covid and prepare for “the new normal”.
CHAPTER II
Why Live Events Work
1. Face-to-Face Sales
Will live events survive the post-Covid era with all the changes in consumer purchasing behavior? An emphatic yes!
There is no media platform anyone can name that can be an adequate substitute for the importance of face-to-face sales when one engages in a major purchase like finding the perfect company to remodel one’s kitchen and bath, or selecting not only the perfect roofing product for your budget and taste but also the perfect contractor to install that product on the largest investment many people will make in their lifetime.
One has the opportunity to speak face-to-face with these contractors; determine if their work ethic and finished product displayed matches with one’s personality, goals, and level of required quality. This cannot be achieved via a virtual event, a TV ad, a radio ad, a social media blast, or an email. This kind of interaction must be done Face-to-Face.
2. Cost Effective R&D
When a company has a new product and must begin the costly R&D process the first thing this company should do is exhibit this new product in the next live event that fits the theme of this product! Buyers at these consumer shows will be happy to test a new product and tell manufacturers exactly what they love about it and what they don’t.
This kind of immediate and honest response is priceless when developing and launching new products in today’s competitive retail market. The benefit of exhibiting in a live consumer event is a powerful tool for one’s sales and marketing team as well. Imagine the power in a statement like; “Mr. Jones, we know what the public loves about our product because of our face-to-face interaction in dozens of live consumer events. From those events, we can tell you that 7 out of 10 people that interacted with our product purchased it!” We know what they liked about it, and took note of any suggestions made about the product that would make it more appealing to the buyer.” All of this valuable data derived from exhibiting in live events, the type of events that are targeted to the product one is developing, enhances the successful launch and the quantitative results available to the sales team. Live event R&D is absolutely the most cost-effective platform for any company and any product.
3. See, Touch, & Feel Products
Have you ever shopped with someone who has to touch everything they see, open drawers to determine how they glide, feel the surface of a painted wall, inspect the inside of cabinets to determine the quality of the construction? Well, that is exactly why live consumer events work! Attendees can do just that!
The display a company brings to a show says everything about that company in 3 seconds! Pictures on a poster board will not do the trick. Bring your BEST example of your product for buyers to
inspect. Know for certain that consumers will open drawers, check inside cabinets, feel surfaces, and more! Bring your best or you have lost the opportunity to make the sale! On average, a company has 3 seconds to stop an attendee at their booth. That is why the first impression is so important, not just the product that is on display but the whole experience in that booth. Later in this book we will discuss the right size booth and the appropriate personnel to staff it.
4. Visibility over the Competition
Consider the situation that a customer is preparing to remodel their home. They have planned to add a room and update their kitchen and bath. A live consumer event is advertised in their community and they go to do some research for this important project. Their research begins with what is possible, what type of budget they will need, what they like and need, and who the potential contractor could be to oversee the plan. This buyer goes to a few live events to enable the best possible choice of contractor.
At the first event, this homeowner meets your company and a few others. The second event, this same homeowner sees your competitor but not your company. The third event, this homeowner sees your competitor and another vendor. Whom do you think that homeowner will choose? Who has given the homeowner the secure feeling of longevity and dependability in the marketplace?
It is not just important to be there occasionally, but
every time! The buyer wants to be sure that when he or she reaches out to their contractor with follow up issues, that contractor will still be in business and will stand behind what they built. Be there, everywhere they look and you will get the job!
CHAPTER III
BEST SHOW FOR ME
One of our shows in Pasadena had a unique vendor, this company was an HVAC provider yet the product that brought hundreds of buyers to their booth was a new instant hot water product for kitchens. A reporter had received a press release from this vendor about this ground-breaking product (at that time it was brand new on the market) and published a very small article about the fact that this would be on display at the show; buyers came in looking for the “instant hot water booth” in droves. We had no idea what company they were talking about until one woman produced that article.
My point in sharing this story is to remind every show Producer and every Vendor, it is a team effort to achieve a successful event. Some vendors have the mistaken concept that all that is required to have a productive response to exhibiting in a show is to pay for the booth and the producer is responsible to do the rest. The amount of “investment” needed to ensure the best possible outcome for your company in a live event is not just paying the producer for the booth; protect your investment. To make it work at a maximum level you must be part of the equation before, during, and after the show. Producers, teach your vendors this principle from the beginning; you both will have a much more successful experience.
Life Application
In life, as in business, we often limit our sphere of influence to those with whom we are comfortable or those with whom we have common interests, lifestyles, beliefs, and even similar economic levels. We have, in essence, stinted our growth. It is being open to and even embracing our differences, one with another, that will reduce the contention in our world. According to a famed former Harvard Law Professor and religious leader, Dallin H. Oaks, “Our founding generation was built on unifying. We must seek unity in diversity.”
1. Shows Designed for Every Category
It is hard to think of a product or service that isn’t represented by some kind of live consumer event. There are Home & Garden Shows, Home Building, and Interior Design Shows; Health & Fitness Events; Food Tasting Events; Bridal Shows; Car Shows; Off Road Vehicle Shows; Heavy Equipment, Farm Supplies, and Rural Area Shows; Boat and RV Shows; Sportsman, Sports, and Hunting Shows; Comic Fan Shows; and the list continues. There is literally a live consumer event for every product or service!
So how does a marketing manager decide what type of event is best for their company? Sometimes it is obvious; if you have Bridal Products, do a Bridal Show. Sometimes it is not so clear; if your company sells RV’s should you only do an RV show? Consider your buyer; is he/she also a homeowner? Does your buyer travel, does he/she like off-road vehicles? Is your buyer a Sportsman? Is he/she a sports fan and
likes to travel to all the games?
Sometimes it’s good to be the “odd man out” at an event. If your buyers are also homeowners, then maybe your company will get more attention and ultimately more sales at a Home Show because your product stands out and is not just “one among many” of the same thing. Be adventurous, examine every option that can deliver the right buyers to your company.
2. Design Your Booth to Fit the Event
All peripheral materials at an event should match the theme of the show. For example, if your company sells solar products and you have chosen to exhibit in a Boat Show, have all signage and handouts focused on how your line of products can be used to provide power to needed equipment where none is readily available. If your solar company is exhibiting in a Home Improvement Show, the materials for that scenario are obvious, the cost-effectiveness and renewable value of solar.
It is important to remember that while your buyer at the Boat Show may fit the demographic of your home solar products because this buyer is usually also a homeowner; their purpose and interest in attending the Boat show is to enjoy the outdoors. Address that area of interest first before you expand to the home energy category.
If you have an insightful question that will immediately get the buyer involved in your booth, you can make a banner with that question on it, and put the
banner on the back wall of your booth so everyone walking by will read it. We do not have the ability to dismiss a question even if we do not answer it verbally, our brain is answering it. You have immediately caused that buyer to interact with your booth. They may not have stopped immediately, but they are thinking about your question and your booth. That may bring them back.
3. Live Event or Virtual, How About a Hybrid?
We have been discussing all the reasons Live Events work, how does a virtual event compare? Is it a viable alternative to live events? What is a Hybrid Event? How does it differ? Let’s break this down.
Virtual events are on the rise for many reasons; Covid being chief among those. It was seen as an alternative to live due to pandemic restrictions and allowed for continued contact and instruction with one’s supply chain and buyers during a restricted interaction environment. In an interview with the Former President of Fern Expositions, Aaron Bludworth, we discussed this very question “What is the future of Virtual Events?” His response was “Virtual Trade Shows are something that will not exist; they have been a failure, nothing has been accomplished with those. If you try to get a vendor to participate a second time, they won’t!” Virtual Events can fill a secondary support for Live Events but they will never replace an actual face-to-face event.
With that said, how can this amazing technology benefit and even support live events?
Producers: some of your potential attendees are home bound or unable to fit the date of your event into their schedule but want to learn from your experts. An added virtual pre-show event featuring sponsors and selected vendors can fill that gap and add an additional revenue stream. The possibilities are endless in what can be done, but I do not recommend it as a replacement for Live, face-to-face.
What about the benefit of acquiring a Virtual Presentation from a Celebrity to use at your event, it will cut costs of the “Celebrity Appearance” dramatically and allow those funds to be used elsewhere.
Vendors: for years companies have been augmenting their booths with digital features in their display. The Next Step in this process would be to partner with your local event producer and create a “featured interview” in advance of the event. This will inform potential attendees and buyers about your company, what you will be showing at the event, and even offer special pricing to those who respond to your interview segment by sharing it. Put this interview on several social media platforms. You can also create a marketing partnership with your local producer; you post the interview and they agree to do the same. Very much like the story at the beginning of this chapter only using current technology, pre-show press goes a long way to the pre-sale process for those who would be interested in your product or service. Investigate opportunities for your company to do co-op ads with the producer of the event.
During the show a pre-scheduled and pre-recorded workshop can take place online and be aired at your booth. This creates a continued involvement in what your company does and teaches buyers how to get the most out of
your product or service. It can also incorporate a contest for those only viewing online.
Post-show follow-up utilizing digital media can be announcing the winner(s) of the contests that were launched online and onsite. Online winners are given a code to collect their prize online; onsite winners can come into one’s store and see if they won and retrieve their prize. Now you have a following and a list of interested shoppers that will be your pleasure to turn into buyers.
CHAPTER IV
PREPARATION IS THE KEY
I have often taught in my seminars that careful selection of booth location and booth size matter a great deal when planning for a successful event. I used to laugh and say “The only company that should ever exhibit in a 10x10 booth is a Financial Company!” Everyone would laugh and then I would follow up that statement with the most important contradiction of a financial exhibit I have ever experienced. It was in our Pomona California show, this event is typically a smaller market and definitely not our best in terms of income demographics. I was walking the aisles during setup and stopped dead in my tracks! In front of me was a 20x30 booth for a well-known financial group. Fully carpeted, several desks were set up to look like an onsite office, ready to do business! Okay, nothing notable yet, but wait, many elements of this booth were very different than any financial company display I had ever witnessed. The first was the size of their booth… It was 6 times larger than I would expect for this type of vendor; it was set to give the message “We are ready to do business with you and we are large enough to take care of any size investment!”. Then what was truly unusual, the show stopper… a beautiful, gleaming, fully loaded, brand new off the showroom floor, top of the line, White Mercedes Benz! As if that wasn’t show stopping enough, it was suspended
on (4) four china tea cups, one under each wheel! Every person stopped to see how this could possibly be true, this huge beautiful car being held up by 4 tiny china tea cups and they didn’t break! But that’s not the best thing about the show stopping display, the cherry on top of this visual treat was to be found on the back drape of the display, directly in front of your view right above the car… “Do you want to know how you can have a car like this?” Wow! Now that’s a great question!
This was without a doubt the most perfect display I have ever witnessed in my entire career! Every detail was perfect, right down to what the workers in the booth were wearing, the booth colors were complementary to the company logo, the question posed on the back wall of the booth, and the carrot or dream offered as a goal! Perfection!
Life Application
I spend much of my time at events discovering what works in a booth, what doesn’t, and in essence, looking for areas of needed improvement. I always find something. The life lesson here is; you will find what you are looking for. If you focus on the positives in your life, your area, your loved ones, your spouse, your neighbors, your work, your home… you will find it. The opposite is also true. My husband and I are blessed to be close friends with many in the entertainment field due to his 50+ years in the music industry. He has performed with some of the best in the world. One of those “best in the world” performers we were fortunate to have as a friend is a man that changed my life and my attitude forever. David Summerville was a beautiful man both physically and personally. He had an amazing voice that he kept in perfect condition right up to his passing. But his personal habit of finding some-
thing beautiful in every person he met was truly inspiring. I overheard him once telling a fan, who was physically very plain, that she had beautiful earlobes! He was serious, genuine, and this young fan left his presence feeling beautiful all over! He always looked for the beauty in others and he always found it.
Surprisingly enough, the founder of this vocal group, Jim Pike, impacted me in another amazing way; he sought perfection in all he did. If it was worth doing, it was worth doing well! His genius rubbed off on all around him. He demanded the best of himself, so we were compelled to strive for the best we had to offer as well.
Think of the impact we could each have on those around us if we sought and recognized the beauty in others, if we built up those with whom we came in contact, if people felt lifted by their interactions with each of us.
Let’s talk about these elements. Why and how they work.
Which Booth Works Best?
When planning your booth, the first thing to consider is size! Pitch people (those companies selling a product off the floor of the show) and financial companies can do a 10x10, but if your company is only doing a small booth, make sure it is a corner or you will be lost among the field of vendors.
Every other company should be exhibiting 10x20 or larger. If budgeting for a 10x20 is a problem, maybe you should consider waiting until you can afford a minimum double booth since there are other additional areas for which to budget that are keys to a successful experience in every event.
The next thing to consider is location! It is very important to know the direction of the traffic flow, where the
entrances and exits are, where the parking lot is located to be able to visualize what exit most attendees will use, where the concessions and bathrooms are to see cross traffic potential which offers multiple times an attendee could pass by your booth. Each of these issues are factors in the equation of success.
Discover In the planning and booth selection process what type of companies are around you? The reasons for asking this are; (1) is a competing company too close to your booth? If so, the customer goes back and forth between you and it becomes a bidding war. You also don’t want your competition hearing your presentation. (2) is an aggressive lead generator near you? These types of companies have a bad habit of working the aisles and literally stealing your potential customer; (3) Is a pitch company next to you? This can be a plus or a minus situation. People tend to gather to listen to the “sales pitch” of the companies selling products off the floor, when the crowd is finished hearing the presentation, they need to go somewhere and that could be your booth. Alternatively, a pitch product next to you could draw away your customers and could cost you sales.
Who Should Work the Booth?
When deciding how to man your booth, it is critical to analyze your labor resources and their skills. As a marketing director or owner, you are well aware of the fact that the investment in the booth space rental is just the beginning of the budget needed for a successful outcome. In order to garner a great ROI every time, leverage your marketing goals and priorities against what team members are best equipped to accomplish them.
• Goal 1: Lead generating/Appointments for bids
Workers in the booth should be your best salespeople. They know the product well and are the best at closing. Every missed sale in this live event can cost a company thousands of dollars. These attendees are targeted buyers, they have paid to park, paid to get in the show, and have specific projects in mind. If your labor in your booth is not your best and most motivated, you will lose sales. Every worker should be incentivized to get leads and even better, set appointments for bids. We get into Booth Behavior in another section.
• Goal 2: On Site Sales
The workers in these booths are highly trained sales persons with a specific script and are generally the owner or best sales-professional on their team. These workers are generally personable, outgoing, and excellent closers. Their entire income depends completely on sales at the show. As they sell more, they make a higher percentage of each item sold. This sales goal design has a built-in incentive that focuses on success.
Are All Team Members on the Same Page of What is Expected?
There are many details that need to be discussed, clearly understood, and fully supported by every team member at the show. This agreement and understanding of what the owner and marketing manager want accomplished at the show must be clear and concise. A pre-event meeting with all who will be working the booth will ensure their understanding and buy-in to what is expected and
will more than double the potential for a successful show every time.
• Professional behavior must be adhered to at all times. These workers are the first impression of your company to your potential buyer.
• Appropriate language, grammar, attitude, and courtesy speaks volumes to a buyer who may be determining if they want to buy from your company.
• Booth Etiquette is critical for all team members to be taught, and utilized.
– No sitting in the booth
– No eating in the booth
– No talking on the phone or playing games on one’s computer/phone in the booth. This includes texting, your staff is there to work.
– If your worker is a smoker, have Febreze or another odor remover available to spray one’s clothing after smoking and breath mints for one’s breath
– No consuming beer or alcohol during show hours (don’t run one’s booth from the snack bar)
– Never leave one’s booth to deliver negative comments to other vendors, it hampers their sales ability and brings a negative environment in the show.
– Keep the sound of amplified music, videos, and presentations within your immediate booth area
– Do not work the aisles of a show, keep marketing efforts inside your contracted area
– Never go into a neighboring booth to retrieve a potential buyer
– Workers in the booth should have good personal cleanliness habits
– Workers should wear conservative, modest, well-fitting clothing
– Never allow inappropriate language, conversations, or jokes
• Set Specific and Attainable Goals with pre-set rewards for achieving these benchmarks. If the show is a 3-day event, the rule of thumb is that Friday and Sunday’s attendance figures are generally fairly equal, Saturday is generally double that of Friday. If the group goal is 100 leads then the daily goal for Friday needs to be 25 leads, Saturday 50 leads, Sunday 25. Each night after the show closes, the sales team should meet and determine if they are on track to achieve their goal. This allows them to adjust the Saturday and Sunday goal if Friday didn’t hit their mark. Stay focused, stay positive, stay in your booth until the show is closed every day, never leave early.
CHAPTER V
DESIGN FOR SUCCESS
Over the decades of selling and producing live Consumer Events, I have seen thousands of displays. The success quotient of Design is not limited to companies with large design budgets or professionally built displays. Every company can apply the elements of successful booth design and achieve the desired result.
Life Application
Many years ago I went to a “Girls Night Out” Party with about 30 other women. It was fun, positive, and in my case, life changing. I grew up tall and thin, but after our fourth child, everything changed. Of course, I was still tall, but I was suddenly gaining weight. My best efforts to exercise, diet, walk, join every conceivable jazzercise or yoga group around didn’t seem to work, I was losing hope. I was beginning to lose the vision of who I had always been and thus was losing my positive self-image. The party turned out to be a “Color Coding Party”! It was great fun to see how wearing the correct color for my personal complexion made a world of difference in how I looked in a given outfit. This same palate applied to my makeup, my home décor, my style of clothing, and so on. My confidence returned as I continued to choose colors that truly looked better on me, made me feel more attractive and definitely more confident. The moral to this story is; we truly dress
for success in our lives and it actually does apply to our exhibits in a show!
One of my favorite booths was a Heating & Air Company in a 10x20 corner booth. As we move through the main elements of successful booth design, I’ll describe how this company applied them to their display and why those features work.
Color
There are specific colors that affect a buyer’s decision to purchase your product or service. A survey from Kissmetrics says that “only 7% of consumers don’t prioritize color and visual appearance during shopping. The remaining 93% puts these two on the top of their list! Furthermore, 85% say that it’s the product’s color that prompted them to pay for it.”
According to the article from one of the foremost authorities on Live Events, Gene Freedman from 2018, he outlines “The Hot and the Not” in color for logos as well as booth design as discussed by designer community 99designs:
• Blue: 53%
• Black, Gray, and Green: 28%
• White: 27%
• Red: 17%
• Orange: 15%
The winner by a long shot is obviously Blue. According to scientists, “Blue gives off a Vibe of trustworthiness, security, and dependability; characteristics that all people want from services handling their hard-earned money.”
Know your audience, who is your buyer? Color preferences all have emotional meanings associated with them. What emotion do you want to evoke in your potential buyer? Do your research.
Regarding my most memorable booth that I spoke of earlier in this section, I mentioned it was a 10x20 corner booth for a Heating and Air Company. Since we are discussing color, I’ll mention their booth was Grass Green, this color elicits Eco-consciousness, nature, and sustainability. With the heavy emphasis on eco—friendly products in the HVAC industry, their choice of Green for their booth was perfect!
Layout
When designing the layout of your booth, it is imperative that the direction of the flow of traffic is known and accounted for. The most successful layout includes a “flow” through the booth so there is order and direction for the path of the buyer. It is important to be aware of the flow of traffic in the show so you can place the most important focal point in your booth where it is most visible.
The HVAC booth we have been discussing as an example of what works has a new whole house fan that is installed in one’s attic and saves 50% on the owner’s power bill. It was placed in the front right corner of their booth and was at gentle speed as the guests walked by, they saw it and felt it.
Traffic Flow
The standard flow of traffic in a show stems first from where the entrance to the show lies in relation to the hall. If the entrance is center or to the right side of the hall, the public will enter and turn right (if they are right-handed
which represents 90% of the population). Some will turn left if they are left-handed or if the entrance to the hall is closer to the left side of the hall; the largest percentage of attendees will then travel methodically up and down each aisle so as not to miss anything. Understanding that, you can effectively determine the flow of traffic and how to create the flow of your booth as well as where to put the focal point of your booth.
The HVAC Booth was on the right-hand side of the hall, on the left side of the aisle, traffic would be walking toward their corner, so placing the fan on the right-hand corner of the booth facing the oncoming traffic ensured everyone saw the fan before they saw anything else. Perfect!
Focal Point
What constitutes “The Focal Point” of your booth? It can be a variety of things, it can be a new product or special pricing you are promoting, it can be a new service your company is offering, it can be the most beautiful, colorful, or top of the line item you carry. This is the item you want to be the first thing the buyer sees, the item that will ensure those who are interested in your product or service stop at your booth.
CHAPTER VI STOP HERE!
When I walk the aisles of my shows and those of other event producers, I am amazed at how many vendors fail to use the few seconds they have, between 3-6 seconds to be exact, to say something engaging or interesting. Instead, 80% of all vendors say something useless like, “Hi, how are you?” Three seconds of valuable time used to say something that is not at all useful in getting a potential buyer involved in your product or service. There are several tools at your disposal to ensure you attract every possible potential customer to stop! After all, if you don’t stop them, you can’t sell to them!
Life Application
We all fall prey to first impressions, whether it is in an introduction, a job interview, a presentation to buyers, a blind date, or a new acquaintance. First impressions matter. Our success in delivering a great first impression has everything to do with how we feel about ourselves and how confident we are in any setting we may find ourselves in. If we have taken the time to be personally well-groomed, dressed in appropriate, comfortably fitting clothing, and know the basics of etiquette whether in a business setting or a personal one, we will give a great first-impression!
For a successful exhibit
1. Ten First Words
Instead of wasting valuable seconds saying something useless and trite like, “Hi. How are you?” It is far more valuable to have prepared (10) ten questions that will automatically cause passersby to become engaged in your booth and your product even if they did not intend to. In our example of an HVAC company with the whole house fan, some questions they might ask passerby would be;
• Are your power bills too high?
• Have you been looking for a way to lower your power bills?
• Have you thought about a more eco-friendly, more sustainable cooling source for your home?
• May I have 5 minutes to show you how I can save your hundreds on your power bill?
The purpose in having more than one question prepared for customers is so you are not asking the same question to every person as they pass, it sounds ingenuous and rehearsed. Plus, the people right behind the ones you are speaking to have heard the question and can ignore it as redundant.
The reason asking a question works so well is because our incredible brain acts like a computer, processing information and storing it. Our brain automatically “answers” the question even if the
answer is not verbalized. The buyer is answering it and subconsciously searching to see if your question applies to their needs. Just like my description of the Financial Booth that was so successful in stopping customers and engaging them in their booth immediately. The power of asking a question is undeniable.
2. The Five Senses
As you are designing your booth, think about our five senses; Sight, Sound, Smell, Touch, Taste. In order to be successful at getting buyers to stop at your booth you must employ at least one of the senses, but the more you capture in your design, the greater the response. Have you noticed vendors popping popcorn to give out in their booth? (By the way, you can’t do that in a Convention Center or in most Fairgrounds without prior permission from the concessionaire since all concessions are always owned by a catering company) The benefits of popping popcorn are two-fold, the smell is unmistakable and the sound captures their attention. Once the potential buyer is stopped, you have time to employ one of your pre-created questions. You can see this tool used very effectively by companies selling cookware in events; they generally cook something and allow attendees to taste what they cooked.
Think about the HVAC company with the powerful booth I have been referring to; their whole house fan was softly blowing, sight; as guests walk by they feel the breeze from the fan; in this case the lack of sound is the selling point. Very powerful.
Movement works well at capturing attention; an art booth that includes an artist painting will always stop passersby. A spa company with at least one spa filled and bubbling is great. A kayak company allowing guests to test the kayak on the water is perfect!
3. Special Guests, Funny Tricks, Live Action, Onsite Giveaways
• Special Guests: One spa company combined a Charitable Donation with action in their booth and it was masterful! This company was selling a very large swim spa as their featured product. They hired (donated to) a local High School Swim Team to demonstrate the powerful exercise one could experience in a regular routine in their swim spa. The team was in shape to demo continuously, they earned money for their next competition, and everyone stopped to watch while a savvy sales team discussed the virtues of their product. It also brought family members who came to see their sons and daughters “perform”. Another spa company hired Zsa Zsa Gabor’s husband to sit in their spa with a beautiful woman (he was wearing a speedo). It worked! People came to see Prince Von Anhalt, and the spa company sold spas! Depending on the market and one’s budget, bringing in a Celebrity to endorse one’s product can be productive. Be careful of the reputation of the celebrity and how that might reflect on your product. In a market like LA or NY, that tactic is not as successful as it might be in a smaller market.
• Funny Tricks: I have seen quarters glued to the floor in front of a vendor’s booth. People will stop to pick it up. It may take a silver dollar these days to get that to work. Then your sales person would deliver the question to the guest. Be careful, don’t embarrass the customer by laughing at them!
• Live Action: An archery booth enabling customers to try your archery products; a climbing wall that attracts a line waiting to try the wall, perfect time to talk about your product! A scuba pool to test scuba diving and your whole family is hooked on a new sport together!
• On Site Giveaways: Sending out invitations to previous customers, running ads to offer a special prize when potential customers come to your booth, “Enter to Win” promotions at your booth are all great ideas. So cautions, inviting previous customer is productive if you have something more to sell them beyond what they have already purchased from you. Offering a special incentive for new customers is a great idea, consider the benefit if that gift idea is an add-on to what you are selling. Offering an “Enter to Win” in your booth is great IF you are offering a chance to win something you sell, then the leads you collect are truly potential customers or they wouldn’t have entered to win at your booth! Make sure you have something planned in advance to utilize the leads you get from the giveaway.
CHAPTER VII
PRE-EVENT MARKETING
One serious misconception about events that I have observed in most vendors is that once a vendor pays for their booth, they then seem to believe the entire responsibility for their success is on the shoulders of the event producer. That is completely wrong! Your company is investing in a platform designed to generate new business. When any company moves forward on an investment for the benefit of one’s business, isn’t it prudent to do everything one can to protect and support that investment? Exhibiting in a live event IS an investment in one’s company. This chapter will discuss many ways for vendors to participate in their own success at the event. Ways in which a company can multiply their success potential by up to 500% applying these elements of pre-show marketing in conjunction with everything you will learn in this book.
Life Application
Have you ever heard someone say; “ I don’t like my new boss, he/she never speaks to me and doesn’t seem to be interested in knowing me.” or “I moved into a new neighborhood and no one has come to welcome me or introduce themselves, this is a very unfriendly area.” or “I just started going to a new church, I feel so unwelcome, maybe I shouldn’t go to this one, I’ll keep looking for one that is more friendly.” or better yet, “I feel so uncomfortable at
parties, only the host seems glad I’m there, no one came over to meet me and make me feel welcome, they must know I’m new.”
If we go through life expecting others to “make us feel welcome, introduce themselves to us, or in essence be responsible for our happiness and successes, we will always be disappointed! WE are responsible for our success in an event, WE are responsible to reach out to others and create friendships, WE are capable of creating our own joy and our own positive relationships in life and in business.
1. Create the Buzz
Notify your potential audience with weekly posts on all your social media platforms for at least 1 month about your participation in the upcoming event in their area. Promote the “Specials or Features” your company will be offering. Ask your audience what they would most like to see, or what they use most that may need updating. Offer a special prize to the top 10 people in your group that share your offer the most.
Every week for 4 weeks prior to the event, offer a “Free VIP Pass to the show valued at $10 & a Free Gift redeemed at your booth” to the first 10 people to claim them with the “Secret Word” that was mentioned on your post the previous Friday. This drives interest in your posts and traffic to your booth!
2. Let Your Customers Know
Most companies have a rather extensive list of previous and current customers. This list is a natural
way to reach out and let your customers know that you value their business, it is important for them to know you consider them a “friend of the company” and you want them to come to the event as your guest. This offer engenders great PR and demonstrates to your clients that their business and their positive impression of your company matters. You are here and can be trusted to respond to any of their needs into the future.
Most show producers will offer special pricing for bulk ticket purchases from vendors. This is a very cost-effective PR opportunity for your company. As we talk to vendors about where much of their new business comes from, other that live events, it is from referrals; previous customers that like your company, like your work, and feel that their business is valued. They are confident that your company will be there if anything goes wrong. Reaching out to them AFTER the sale again and again demonstrates that message beautifully.
3. Bundle Marketing
What is your current media and marketing schedule? Bundling marketing is a simple and natural way to make every element of your company’s marketing more effective. If you are running radio spots, or social media campaigns, or a direct mail piece; add the tag offer to “save $$$ on your product(s) when they come to your booth at the live event (with the show details)”.
You could also offer a $3 discount on their entry ticket if they mention your radio ad when they come
to see you at the XYZ live event. Make arrangements in advance to pay for any discounted tickets at a reduced rate with the event producer.
4. Contests Work!
Contests are a great pre-show marketing tool! Create a three-pronged approach with your contest:
• Register to win in your place of business or online on your website; either way the potential customer is exposed to your marketing message before the live event.
• Extra entries with some incentive (free gift, discounted entry ticket, etc.) when they come to your booth at the show. (this is the second time the customer is exposed to your marketing message.
• Winner’s will be posted in your store or on your website, third opportunity to sell this customer. Post the photo of the winner on your social media sites so the public can see the prize was awarded.
Make your contest even more effective by working with your media partner to help promote the contest which makes the whole campaign even more valuable.
One of my favorite contests offered by a Home Organizing Expert was a contest for the ugliest home office. Entrants sent pictures of their home office with a story of why they should win. This organizer was co-promoting with a Storage Unit Company and it was marketed in conjunction with a local TV station. The winner would win the services of the
Home Organizer, one-year of a free storage unit, and new office furniture from an advertiser on the participating TV station.
This benefited everyone involved and required very little from each, but together it was a creative and entertaining contest that allowed viewers, participants, and sponsors tremendous exposure. People came to the live event anxious to see who was going to win.
CHAPTER VIII WHAT’S YOUR MESSAGE?
When attendees are walking up and down each aisle of a live event, your booth message should be clear and pronounced, leaving no ambiguity about who your company is and what you are selling. They could hopefully also recognize how your product could benefit their life or home from the messages and signage located in your booth design. The care you demonstrate by your booth presentation and attention to detail tells your prospective customer a great deal about how you will care for their home during installation of the product or service they have contracted you to do, and the quality of work they can expect from you. Take pride in your booth like you take pride in your product.
Life Application
We have all heard the expression; “We must love ourselves before others can love us and before we can love others”. When we can look at ourselves honestly and address those character traits we find falling into the category of; “Needs Improvement”, we can begin to address them one at a time. Soon we actually like who is looking back at us in the mirror. It truly is our own self-image that precedes us in any meeting, presentation, introduction, interview, or sale. If we are making choices we approve of as honest and honorable, we build our vision of ourselves,
the opposite is also true. We must pay attention to the details of our lives and others will pay attention to us.
Details of your booth that will make a difference in your success in any event:
1. Is it clear who is working the booth?
Every member of the team working the booth should have, at minimum, a company shirt on so customers can immediately tell with whom they should speak. You will lose their business, they have to guess. Depending on a “Vendor Badge” to do the job is insufficient.
2. The 3-second rule is so important related to this subject of “What is Your Message”. As a potential buyer is approaching your company’s booth, you have 3-seconds to help that buyer formulate the message you are sending:
• my product will make your life better, safer, happier, healthier, easier, prettier
• my company is professional in every sense and ready to do business with you
• my marketing team is fully trained, knowledgeable about our product or service, and happy to be working with our company
• our company has been in business for many years and we are licensed, insured, and ethical in our business practices
• my company is so confident in the quality of
our products and services that we only talk about what we offer, we never denigrate or criticize a competitor.
3. This entire message is delivered to a potential customer in 3-seconds as they approach and enter your booth. How is that done?
• positive messages on the back wall of your booth and signage in your booth
• a marketing team that is professionally dressed in company shirts or uniforms, well groomed, standing in their booth.
• the buyer is greeted with a smile, asked a pertinent question that relates to the product your company is selling like, “When was the last time you remodel your kitchen?” Or “Have your utility bills gone up, maybe it’s time to have an energy audit.”
• somewhere in the booth; on the back wall, on the company materials, on a plaque on the table; a statement like “in business since XYX; contractor or business license #”. Proudly displaying these facts speaks volumes!
• never run down a competitor to a potential buyer, it does not impress them. Do not give free advertising to your competitor even if you think it makes your product or company look better, it doesn’t.
CHAPTER IX
STANDING OUT IN A CROWD
A company’s natural inclination is to participate only in live events that exactly fit one’s product line, a boat manufacturer naturally exhibits in a Boat Show, a window company naturally exhibits in a Home Improvement Show, a fitness product naturally exhibits in a Health & Fitness Expo. While this is good and the audience coming to these types of live events are there because they are interested in those products or services, these companies are generally one among many of the same or similar products and services in these events. Therefore, the potential sales pool is greatly diluted by the number of competing products in the same show.
Life Application
It seems like there is competition in almost all aspects of our lives; our personal lives, endeavoring to attract that special person to notice you; our business relationships, trying to make sure your application stands out in the pile of seekers; our homes and cars, wanting them to reflect who we are and who we want to be. So, in a world of competition, how do we stand out in a crowd?
Much the same way we strive to have our event exhibit stand out above the others in the show, find out what you can about the person you want to meet, or the job you want to get, or the home & neighborhood you choose to
live in. Are these things important to your life? Will that job be a step in your career goals or is it simply a means of providing income? Is the home or car you are considering within your means or will it become the weight that drags you down with worry for finances or buyer’s remorse.
Knowledge is King!
Demographics
1. Knowing the demographics of one’s buyer can deliver many more selling options where your company can stand out and still reach the perfect group of buyers with no other competing companies. As an example, the average demographic of a boat buyer-The overwhelming majority of recreational boaters are middle-class Americans, 77% of boat owners have a household income of less than $100,000 a year with an average age of 46.
The average demographic of a home buyer-The median age of a home buyer is 34, followed by buyers 40-54 delivering a median age of 47. Average income of $105,600.
The example of demographics of boat owners and homeowners is almost identical; therefore, it would be a logical conclusion and a profitable opportunity for a boat dealer to exhibit in a home improvement show or a home improvement company to exhibit in a boat show (if permitted). This example could be duplicated in any number of paired demographics delivering many opportunities for “out-of-format” companies to enjoy exclusivity in an event and still have the exposure to the perfectly targeted market.
2. Going the Extra Mile
One of my vendors was selling statuary, more specifically, beautiful, high quality animal statuary. He could have done his booth as I have seen many times; a huge number of pieces of statutory filling to the brim one’s booth. His sales would have been marginal or maybe even fine. However, he did not do the norm, he went way beyond what others would do, he created an incredible jungle setting with greenery, verandas, small hills and valleys, he took a 10x20 corner booth and created an experience! He got the price he was asking for his product because he presented it’s worth by allowing his customers to experience the extraordinary value of what he was selling in an extraordinary setting.
Standing out in a crowd is imperative when your company is in a show loaded with all of one’s competitors, a boat company in a Boat Show. Other than the obvious brand and dealer uniqueness, how does one get an increased volume of attention to this crowded field of competition?
• Sponsor a feature in the event
• Sponsor the Stage Area
• Give out a truly useful boat tool or accessory to serious potential buyers (free gifts attract buyers)
• If possible, offer free test drives on a lake near the event
• Pricing on a luxury item like a boat is not the determining factor on purchase, however an add-
on to the Luxury item as an incentive works.
• Create a high-quality presentation worthy of the high quality of one’s product
These “attention-getting tools” work for any type of product in a Consumer Event, but how do you get the attention of a specific desired buyer in a Trade Show? How do you make sure “Mr/Ms Smith” from a large retail chain will come to your booth? If this buyer is as important to your business as you believe, then treat them like a VIP with these serious tools for VIP’s:
Do some research in advance of the invitation to your booth, the buyer will be impressed with your thorough preparation. What does this buyer like in the category of food, treats, etc.?
If the VIP buyer is important, make the invitation important. Send a special VIP invitation to your booth, preferably hand-delivered by a service.
Offer a private Pre-Event meeting in your booth if appropriate or at a private dining area at the site of the trade show. Serve hors d’oeuvres that are his/ her researched preference, but light on the alcohol. You do not what to give the impression that you are attempting to ply them with alcohol, keep the meeting very professional. Know your audience.
If the buyer has a sense of humor, send him/her something appropriate for their taste that comes in pairs. Send one and let the buyer know the matching piece will be at your booth. Make it fun and funny, but valuable enough that he/she will make
the effort (a pair of gold cufflinks, a pair of gold earrings, etc.)
Always be aware that the way your company handles this invitation will definitely reflect on the buyer’s view of you and your product(s). Always take the classy, high road. A buyer of this stature has seen it all.
Make sure your presentation is ready after investing so much time and money into achieving the appointment.
3. Budget vs Impact
Many ideas that create attention-getting tactics can quickly escalate in cost and go over one’s desired budget. Always keep in mind ROI, will this giveaway, sponsorship, or contest deliver the needed ROI? Let’s talk about tips that work and won’t change your show budget.
• Monochromatic: nothing stops a customer faster that a well-designed, powerful color scheme. Consider a Royal Blue booth, with stark white accents and no other color in sight. Your staff is dressed in royal blue pants and shirts, the backdrop is royal blue with white lettering, the table coverings in the booth are white and the carpet (with padding) is royal blue. This booth with the right signage will stop everyone! Obviously, if your product or company logo is a different color, utilize the appropriate color of your logo or packaging and do the same monochromatic tactic, it works!
• Hands-on or Interactive: movement in one’s
booth is great to get attention, but involving the potential buyer in what you do is golden! Apply the pain relief cream, test the stain removing product, lay a paver to see the ease of installation, vacuum the junk off the carpet, taste the food cooked in waterless cookware. You’ve all seen these tactics that demand the attention of passing buyers. Be creative, design a hands-on or interactive activity for your booth that will demonstrate to the buyer the quality and value of your product or service.
• Wizard of OZ: a garden design vendor did the unthinkable, he pulled back the curtain on one of his most profitable garden accents, faux boulders! He held a workshop every day during the event to teach homeowners how to make giant, realistic granite boulders.
Not only was his garden display a hit at the event, but people in his workshop went away with two different responses; (1) the true DIY lover was thrilled to learn this amazing technique for their gardens and went away happy and feeling like the event was truly valuable to him. (2) the not so confident DIY guest observed the volume of talent and work needed to make these boulders look real and an attractive asset in his/her garden quickly determined the value of hiring the expert to make them for him/her, so this customer hired the man demonstrating the DIY class. Everyone was happy.
Being creative in one’s display is more valuable than having an expensive display. Contests and giveaways must always have prizes related to your product or
service or the entries generated will not be of value because they entered with the Big Screen TV, they don’t care that you are selling air conditioning.
CHAPTER X
BEING MEMORABLE
When I walk shows, it doesn’t matter what the format of the show happens to be, I see a major mistake committed by 80% of exhibitors… they use manufacturers’ brochures as their primary take home brochure and worse yet… They don’t take the time to put their company contact info on the brochure! That is the single biggest waste of money I ever see. These companies are paying for these brochures, and yet they fail to put their own contact on the piece. So, in essence, this dealer is spending his/her company’s time, money, and resources to promote every dealer, not just his/hers.
Life Application
When we interact with people, we either make an impression that is favorable or not. We are memorable or not. Whether this interaction is a first date, an interview, a sales opportunity, or simply a social interaction; we make an impression. I am pretty certain we all wish to make a positive impression in each of our interactions. The categories of successful tools are universal in life and in business.
Introductions done well, with eye contact, good posture, and having paid attention to one’s grooming are a great start! Be well-read so your conversation skills are demonstrated in current events or interesting discove-
ries, notice in your host’s office or home what the pictures and items of interest are about and you will know what you are safe talking about. If your meeting is about business, keep it brief and to the point; if you are invited to stay longer by way of the host asking more questions, or sharing more about his/her business, then let them lead you on the length of stay.
What will your lasting impression be in your booth?
1. What is Your Take Home Piece?
• Corporate Brochures: If your company feels strongly about using corporate brochures, at least take the time to stamp your company’s information on it, Stickers look better and work better than an ink stamp that smears and doesn’t maintain visibility well. In addition to using the corporate brochure, consider a slide in piece that outlines why this buyer should purchase from your company, and what makes you different from other dealers of the same product. Make your “Personal Insert” exactly that, personal to your company. Have it match your booth color and your business cards. Make sure your company contact information is on that also in case the insert gets separated from the brochure.
• Creative Handouts: Some of the most creative take home pieces I have seen are also eye-catchers. One skylight company was offering a $100 discount if the attendee set an appointment for an estimate at the show and purchased within 6 months. While this is a great deal, especially allowing
the buyer 6 months to close on the purchase! But that could easily be forgotten in the mix of all the other “deals, flyers, brochures, and gifts”. However, this one would be recognized and remembered right away… It was a $100 Bill printed on green paper on the front and the details and contact information on the back. Perfect and memorable! It is imperative that this handout is printed on good paper and a quality print job so that the take home piece reflects well on the company.
• Take Home Gifts: Know your buyer! If your product is a high-quality item for the discriminating buyer, are you going to be giving away a magnet with your contact information on it? I don’t recommend it. First, a high-income buyer is notgoing to have magnets on their refrigerator. Secondly, does your giveaway represent the quality of what you do or sell? Take home gifts can be funny, useful, interesting, educational, and even a sample of what you sell. You can even have different items for different people, the value of which increases with the seriousness of the customer. Know your buyer.
2. Business Cards
The average live Consumer Event attendee leaves the event with a bag full of information, samples and of course hundreds of business cards. Trade Shows handle their attendees differently since they are all pre-registered and generally have a scanning system in place. That is not effective yet for a Consumer Event. With that picture in mind, how will your potential buyer remember which card is yours? Make your card memorable… a unique co-
lor, size, shape, texture. Then mention it to the buyer when you hand it to them; “When you get home and are trying to find my card, remember it is the hot pink house, just like our hot pink booth!” That will be memorable and easy to find in a sea of white business cards.
3. Incentive to Purchase
Flyers, coupons, discounts, 2-for-1 specials are all great incentives. Add-ons to the purchase often will close the deal; “We are running a special here at the show, if you purchase your water purifier here at the show, we will add a free instant hot water tap in your kitchen.” Wow, that is a great deal!
However, if they want to think about it, how do you follow them home with an incentive to purchase your amazing water purifier? Let’s say the value of the instant hot water tap is $150, then put a dated sticker on the back of your business card that says; “We respect the fact that you are not yet sold on the need for purified water, so we offering another deal, Save $75 on our amazing water purifier when you purchase within 6 months after this event. If this customer is at all interested in a water purification system, he/she will save the card. Another chance for a follow up sale.
4. Ten Closing Statements
Just as it was important to engage your potential buyer immediately in your booth by asking a pertinent question when they come to your booth, it is equally important to make a pertinent closing sta-
tement when they leave your booth. It is the last thing they will hear from you and it needs to be related to your product or service, never waste your last impression on this customer with “Have a great day.” or “Enjoy the show.” While those comments are pleasant, they are not memorable. What do you want the future customer to remember about your product or service. Now, create ten of those statements so you are not being repetitive and insincere.
CHAPTER XI
THE FOLLOW UP TEAM
One of the key differences between a good show and a great show lies in this important step of the plan, the follow up team. Each aspect of the success pattern being laid out in this book is a building block that connects and builds on the previous block. If one is missed or overlooked, the end result is not as excellent as it could have been. Certainly, the team of workers ready to begin their part of the plan on the Monday morning after the show ends is a critical part of the plan that must not be overlooked.
Life Application
The value of a Thank You note, hand written, cannot be overestimated. I can not think of an area of anyone’s life that does not include the need for a thank you note to be given at some point. Think of an important interview; how often does an employer receive a handwritten note of appreciation for the time spent with you as a candidate for a given position in their company? Not often enough. Will that leave a lasting impression and will that put you at the top of mind when considering all the qualified candidates? Now add to that scenario a personalized letterhead on the note, your own stationary or note card upon which the thank you is written. Put this idea into any situation where you desire to stand out, to get the position you sought, to get the important sale you seek, or to make a good
impression on your date’s family. Be the first of your associates to stand out and be top of mind.
If you are not the First to Call on Monday morning after a show, your chance of getting the sale diminishes.
1. Monday Morning 9am
Prior to the event, a “follow-up team” should have been created, scripted and ready to hit the phones on Monday morning at 9am the morning after the end of the show. The success of the leads gathered during the show depends on the follow-up team. Setting appointments for the sales team to go and create bids for future sales is so important. This must be done while the potential buyer still remembers how much they loved what your company does, before they have committed to your competitor who also was in the show, and before they have changed their mind. This building block in the process moves the success quotient forward; each member of the team is important, each interaction with the customer is carefully planned and scripted, always with knowledge, confidence, and gold-standard customer service a priority.
2. Post-Show Evaluation/Recap
The on-site show team in conjunction with sales management should conduct a Monday morning show recap; what went well, what areas could be improved, any suggestions offered by those who were there; not excuses, not complaints, just positive ways to improve results.
A bad habit many vendors have fallen prey to is that of expecting the Event Production Company to be the primary entity responsible to deliver a successful outcome. That is not the case. I cannot emphasize enough that if one has made an investment of time, resources, and marketing dollars, it is imperative that the entire marketing team does everything possible to protect that investment.
I once asked one of my regular, long time vendors if she had ever lost money at a show, her response spoke volumes and teaches a valuable lesson; she said, “I have never lost money at any event.” I asked, “How is that possible, you’ve never lost money?” She said, “It doesn’t matter if 500 or 5000 people come in the door of the show, I will get every possible sale!” She is never found out of her booth, she is never found complaining to other vendors or to the show promoter about the attendance, she is totally focused on generating the sales she needs to ensure a profitable ROI.
3. Prioritize Value of Appointments
Time is money is absolutely true with one exception, one can replace money, one cannot replace time. Make sure all leads are prioritized by location, true interest, and size of project before setting appointments. This can be done by a 1-5 code put on lead card to help follow-up team prioritize their follow-up efforts.
CHAPTER XII
BUILDING A COMMUNITY
Every reputable event producer has a stable of loyal vendors that can be counted on to participate in every show in their marketplace. Vendors look for that on-going, loyal customer base as well. For those companies who have a “one-time” purchase model, how does one build a community? Do you need or want to create a community? How will that benefit your company?
One of my best examples of that activity and the benefits of going to the time and expense of creating this link to current and potential customers was demonstrated by two of my vendors who joined forces to create the fun and powerful link of “Community”. One of my Kitchen Refacing companies and a company that specializes in garden pavers and landscape design created several “Open House” events with food, entertainment, displays, food trucks, and prizes. They held it at the landscape store with their beautifully landscaped grounds. Each of the events grew the loyalty with their current clients, they brought friends, neighbors, and shared their fun on social media. The benefit of exposure to new potential customers was much more viable than any minimal cost involved for both companies.
1. Where to Begin
• Begin by setting a date for your first “Com-
munity Building” event.
• Consider a few compatible companies that are non-competitive that could enhance the guest experience and share in the cost.
• Plan what activities, refreshments, prizes (choose ones that relate to what you sell), and theme for the event.
• Create invitation file from all the customer lists of each company participating (limit it to 2 or 3 companies at most so not to dilute the benefit to your company). Invite guests to bring neighbors and friends to join in the fun.
• Create the email and social media plan (no cost involved) then launch the plan.
2. Follow up
• Having created a list of “Enter to Win” names with contact info, now you have a whole new list of potential customers and have probably enjoyed new sales from the guest at the Community Building Event.
• Send each attendee a discount opportunity for future projects
• Contact the winner of the prize and take a picture of the winner accepting the prize. Then send every attendee a copy of the winner and prize.
3. Rinse & Repeat
Repeat this activity somewhere between quarterly and bi-annually. Combining this plan with participation in local Live Events and you will watch your company sales soar!
2. Community Service
While building a Community, it is important to balance one’s imprint on the community. If your company truly plans to build a community, it is also important to give back to the citizenry from which one hopes to win loyalty.
What does your area need? What is important to this community? What can your company do to be an asset to the area, not just a business in the area? Think of issues that your company can be passionate about and genuinely engaged in. Utilize the members of the “Community” you are building to help make the difference in the charity you have chosen. Be careful to choose a charity that could be generally appealing to many, not just something personal to you.
3. Sponsor Events
Consider getting your company’s name associated with support for community events, community teams, community parks, everything the public supports. Start where your marketing budget allows, move forward with smaller opportunities as available. It is frequency, not size that matters.
4. Special Guest Passes
Donate passes to under-served youth for youth related activities, purchase special VIP Passes for “desired buyers” that you want to ensure come to the live event your company is exhibiting in; think of ways you can become a valuable asset to your community and thereby well respected and definitely a trusted business.
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